Replacing 40gb HDD in T43...general questions

[CallDon]

(I hijacked another thread then thought I should delete that post and just start a new thread. Hope this is OK.)


I have a refurb Thinkpad T43 (with a 40GB hard drive) that I bought just for surfing-while-watching-TV but I love it so much I would like to use it as a primary computer. The t43 is a very convenient and useful size, compared to larger laptops. Of course, I need to replace the 40gb hdd with a larger one. AND...I have a Win7 upgrade i would like to put on the T43 but only if I have a usable (larger) hdd.

The T43 did not come with backup discs. But when I boot up, it offers the option of regular booting or "recovery" or something like that, I don't remember exactly.

I have been looking on this forum for a plan but thought I would ask also since mine is a refurb with no discs. So should I use HDClone, Partition Magic or something like that to clone the 40g to the larger drive before installing it or what? How do most folks change the HDD without having XP discs?

Thanks for suggestions!
Don

[Harryc]

I don't beleive Partition Magic has cloning capabilities, but a product like Acronis Trueimage or HDClone would work. Yes, I'd say most folks clone the old to the new when they upgrade their hard drives. Try a forum search for more details, this gets asked as often as 2 or 3 times a week here.

[CallDon]

I don't beleive Partition Magic has cloning capabilities, but a product like Acronis Trueimage or HDClone would work. Yes, I'd say most folks clone the old to the new when they upgrade their hard drives. Try a forum search for more details, this gets asked as often as 2 or 3 times a week here.

Thanks for the info. I have been reading for a few hours. Someone more experienced than I should perhaps write a "how to" on it and place it as a "sticky' or whatever it is called on this forum. But from the many posts I have read so far, seems to be an active topic.

Let me tell you I love this little T43 except for the size of the HDD. And I have a spare upgrade of Windows 7 I would put on it if I had more drive space.

[Harryc]

There already was a 'howto' written on cloning -
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=27721

[CallDon]

There already was a 'howto' written on cloning -
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=27721

Bingo! I never thought to use the word "clone" in the search.

[CallDon]

There already was a 'howto' written on cloning -
http://forum.thinkpads.com/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=27721

I am stuck at point one. If I understand correctly, "the X4* series requires a 1.8" drive." I'm having trouble finding that one anywhere. But I will keep looking!

D*

[Harryc]

Your first post said "I have a refurb Thinkpad T43".

[CallDon]

Your first post said "I have a refurb Thinkpad T43".

That is correct.

I assumed "X4*" meant T41, T42, T43, etc. I may have assumed wrong.

So are you saying the T43 uses the 2.5" size?

???

D*

[Neil]

So are you saying the T43 uses the 2.5" size?

Yes, it does. But not all HDDs work well with the T43 BIOS.

[Harryc]

All 2.5" laptop hard drives 'work well' in a T43, but some produce a 2010 boot error, which can be bypassed by a BIOS option. The largest drive that you can install that will not produce the error is the 120GB Fujitsu MHV2120AH.

[CallDon]

All 2.5" laptop hard drives 'work well' in a T43, but some produce a 2010 boot error, which can be bypassed by a BIOS option. The largest drive that you can install that will not produce the error is the 120GB Fujitsu MHV2120AH.

I really wanted a 160 gb drive but 120 will do. Anything that will give the thinkpad a longer life so i can install Windows7 on it.

Thanks for the help. I will look up that Fujitsu MHV2120AH and maybe get it. My little ole 40gb drive does force me to "save" things to a flash drive very often.

Thanks for the help.

[CallDon]

All 2.5" laptop hard drives 'work well' in a T43, but some produce a 2010 boot error, which can be bypassed by a BIOS option. The largest drive that you can install that will not produce the error is the 120GB Fujitsu MHV2120AH.

The best price I am finding for this particular drive is around $100. Does that sound about right?

Thanks'
Don

[Harryc]

Unfortunately yes, it is not readily available and is out of production.

[CallDon]

Unfortunately yes, it is not readily available and is out of production.

I have been reading the HD Faq. So will most 120gb 2.5" hard drives work without the error or only this Fijutsu?

EDIT: Now that I think about it, I might be willing to go with a 160gb and fight the bios thingie if I can. Other folks have done it. I would like having that extra 40g of space for editing my LPs without transferring to the flash drive so often as I have been doing.

Thanks.

[Harryc]

So will most 120gb 2.5" hard drives work without the error or only this Fijutsu?
.

Just the Fujitsu.